The Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum –
a meeting of all the minds in our basin.
Since 2004, the annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum has been a strategic incubator for cross-border research, management collaboration, networking and communication.
The Foundation leads a partnership of agencies to organize the Forum each year. Attended each year by upwards of 160 research and resource managers, the Forum is the "hub" for all groups working to ensure the future ecological integrity of the waters of the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Basin.
2024 Watershed Forum Proceedings Report - Get Your Copy Now!
The Proceedings Report of the 2024 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum is available for download at the Foundation’s website: lowwsf.com/forum-proceedings. Held March 6-7 in International Falls Minnesota, 142 researchers, resource managers, policy makers, and members of the public put Lake of the Woods and its watershed under the microscope.
The Forum featured a moderated panel discussion on "From Science to Action" and 26 presentations in themes of: watershed governance, ecosystem modeling, contaminants and mining, ecological interactions, nutrient dynamics as drivers of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin production, nutrient and sediment load tracing, and updates on the major monitoring programs of the MPCA and ECCC.
Fred Desjarlait, spiritual advisor from Miskwaagamiiwi – Zaagaiganing (Red Lake Nation), joined by Métis Senator Karen Cederwall, helped open the Forum, followed by addresses from Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary and Special Advisor on Water to the Prime Minister and by US Consul Marilyn Gayton.
Please
pdf
download your copy of the report now
(14.26 MB)
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The 2024 Forum would not be possible without the support of many organizations:
- Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
- Grand Council Treaty #3
- Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Global Affairs Canada
- Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus
- St. Cloud State University
- International Joint Commission
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Jefferson National Parks Association in cooperation with Voyageurs National Park
- Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association
- Rainy Lake Conservancy
- Voyageurs Conservancy
To become a supporter, please contact Todd Sellers,
- Todd Sellers, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
- Jesse Anderson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Mike Kennedy, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Andrew Paterson, Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks
- Lucas King, Territorial Planning Unit, Grand Council Treaty 3
- Kayla Bowe, Red Lake Department of Natural Resources
- Ryan Maki, Voyageurs National Park
- Kelly Sjerven, Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus
- Diana Fred, Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Matt Julius, Minnesota St. Cloud State University
- Teika Newton, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Kallemeyn Award. Nominations will be accepted until December 13, 2024.
To nominate someone, please use the online Kallemeyn Award Nomination Form
The Kallemeyn Award is presented annually by the Foundation to an individual who has demonstrated in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed:
- Outstanding professional achievement in scientific research or resource management.
- Significant contributions to collaborative and cooperative approaches to research or resource management internationally.
The Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum when there’s a deserving recipient as determined by the selection committee.
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Wilson Stewardship Award. Nominations will be accepted until December 13, 2024.
To nominate an individual, group, or projects, please use the online Wilson Award Nomination Form
The Wilson Stewardship Award is presented by the Foundation to individuals, groups, or projects that have made significant contributions to environmental stewardship in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed through:
- Education, outreach, civic engagement and participation in stewardship initiatives or program development.
- Projects or programs focused on protection, restoration, preservation or reduction of environmental impact and development of sustainable practices.
The Award will be presented at the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum (March, 2025) when there’s a deserving recipient as determined by the selection committee.
Limited travel support may be available to assist postgraduate students to present their research at the Forum, from the Deborah Battigelli Memorial Fund at the Foundation. Support is typically offered for up to one student per year. To receive support through the fund, a candidate's research abstracts must be accepted for presentation at the Forum. To apply, contact Todd Sellers, Executive Director,
The Battigelli family established the Deborah Battigelli Memorial Fund at LOWWSF to honour Deborah’s love of life at the lake and her interest to preserve the lake area for future generations to continue to enjoy what she loved. The Fund assists the up-and-coming generation of scientists with their research on our lakes with limited travel support to present their research at the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum.
Proceedings Reports of the annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum are available from 2006 onward, here: Forum Proceedings
A huge thank you to St. Cloud State University for doing everything we needed to take the Forum virtual this year.
A special "shout out" from us to St. Cloud U's Reuben Wagenius, ITV/Video Conferencing Guru, and Matt Julius, Professor for all their work to make the video-conference possible.
A huge thank you to St. Cloud State University for doing everything we needed to take the Forum virtual this year.
A special "shout out" from us to St. Cloud U's Reuben Wagenius, ITV/Video Conferencing Guru, and Matt Julius, Professor for all their work to make the video-conference possible.